What Was the Person Behind the ‘Beti-Roti’ Graffiti Thinking?
“Kaise khaoge unke haat ki rotiyaan, jab paida hi nahi hone doge betiyan?” Wait, what?
“Kaise khaoge unke haat ki rotiyaan, jab paida hi nahi hone do ge betiyan (How will you eat the rotis she makes if you won’t let her be born?)” – that’s the message that was purportedly spotted on a wall in India.
The graffiti, which appears to be a terrible attempt at spreading awareness against female infanticide, has drawn severe criticism on social media. It first popped up on Reddit, only to be instantly criticised:
The graffiti garnered similar reactions from Twitter users.
While there’s no denying that more and more Indians are growing sensitised about gender issues and the pressing need for gender equality, there is still a large cloud of inherently patriarchal and sexist customs and beliefs that continues to linger over the minds of millions in the country. While we appear to be taking steps in the right direction when it comes to fighting gender discrimination, the ground reality is quite different – this graffiti is an excellent example.
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